TORONTO – Tito Ortiz’s record 26th UFC fight unfortunately ended on the wrong end of a TKO.

Light-heavyweight opponent Antonio Rogerio Nogueira wobbled him with a left hook and then crippled him with body shots en route to a first-round TKO victory.

The fight took place at UFC 140 at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. It was part of the night’s pay-per-view main card and followed prelims on Facebook and ION Television.

Both fighters swung heavily from the clinch early on, but Nogueira dazed Ortiz with a left cross. A follow-up punch and knee to the body sent Ortiz to the mat, where he survived the onslaught by pulling his opponent into full guard.

The reprieve proved short-lived, though. “Lil Nog” postured up and delivered dozens of punches and elbows. The ref gave Ortiz every opportunity to recover and fight back, but he ultimately was forced to step in and halt the bout at the 3:15 mark of the opening round.

Immediately afterward, Ortiz rolled in pain and then clinched the side of his body that had been battered by Nogueira’s elbows to the ribs.

“I feel so great,” Nogueira said. “Man, it’s like a dream come true. Tito Ortiz is a legend of this sport, so I’m very, very happy.

“I knew he was going to try (to come out strong) because in his last two fights he came out aggressive. Once we took it to the ground I got on top and gave it my all.”

Despite the loss – Ortiz’s fifth in his past six fights – the former champ said he wants to fight out the one remaining bout on his contract.

“He caught me clean in the same place Rashad (Evans) did (at UFC 133),” Ortiz said of the body blows. “That body shot really hurt me. … But I came in here and gave it my all.”

Nogueira (20-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) avoided a third-straight loss and likely saved his job with the win. Ortiz (16-10-1 MMA, 15-10-1 UFC), meanwhile, falls to 1-6-1 over the past five years.

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